The 16v.....twenty-twelve

[Mickey taker]

Ok I will hang on for the plugs but will deffinatelyhave a set of leads from you at cxm.thank you

[Kitch]

No worries Mick, will bring them up along with the doors for Mike.

What a difference a set of plugs can make though! From this:



To this....



That's 9HP at the wheels! Now you can't call it an exact science, because if you did 5 runs you'd find a variance of up to 5bhp between them all. But that jump is too big for variance. I was sceptical and it's likely my company is going to act as a distributor for them, so it's lucky I've been impressed!

I took some videos of the BX on the dyno too, which I'll upload to youtube when I get a spare 3 days.

[Kitch]

Here's that run:

[saintjamesy89]

Cor, what a fab noise and it sounds like it just kept on revving and pulling . That vid put a big grin on my face.

[docchevron]

bloody hell, might have to invest in a set of them!

[Kitch]

They're good

Struck a deal with the importer last night - looks like we're going to be selling them at £11.99 each and the platinum versions at around £9.99 each.

They do performance versions too (these aren't!) which use a copper core. They're more intense, but they don't last as long as these ones so I'm not going to bother with them.

[saintjamesy89]

Interesting how the website advertises the iridium ones as power/torque boosting and the platinum ones as lower emissions and improved mpg. Didn't think there would be quite such a difference between platinum and iridium in conductance!

[Kitch]

I think it's poetic licence really. They both do the same thing, but Iridium plugs last longer and cost more. That alone wouldn't convince people to shell out the extra, so they probably pick and choose which aspects they shout about.

Personally I can't see the point of the platinums.....we're only going to do them to offer a budget version. The price is so similar though it's hardly worth it. Iridiums will outlast them, so in the long run they're cheaper.

[docchevron]

I really should get mine on the rollers, and then try again with these plugs!

[Kitch]

Felt this needed an update as I just realised that it's 9 years today that I made the trip to Maidstone and brought one of my little childhood dreams to life!

9 years on, it's the longest I've kept a car to date (the estate has been between myself and Si for a couple of months less in fact!)
It's one of the only cars I've never got bored of and still enjoy it today as much as I did back then.*

Looking forward to the years to come



* I did put it on eBay back in early 2006 after getting the hump with it. Had 89 watchers after two days and bids to £1000. I bottled it after three, pulling the auction in the process and never looked back!

[Vanny]

I reckon it might well be the most rolling roaded valver on the planet!

[Kitch]

I reckon it might well be the most rolling roaded valver on the planet!

Probably. It must have done 20-30 runs on it! Been worth it though; just with gentle tweaking it started off down at 132hp at the wheels or something, and now it's 144hp. Everytime I drive another one I realise just how well this one drives though, which is nice because I normally have ropey examples!

[Kitch]

Not a huge amount to report on the 16v front, though I did get a chance to snap it with the estate for the first time in what must be about 8 years:



This was 2004:


Anyway, the 16v...



Yeah it's all good! Driving well (though not too often sadly) and proving to be as much fun as it ever was. Had an uninvited guest in it the other day though:




Last time I leave the windows open in the garage!

[docchevron]

G SEG in the background?

[Tim Leech]

G SEG in the background?

Looks it, I keep putting the lottery on and hoping my numbers come up so I can instruct Kitch to rebuild it and make it new....